Page 16 of Riot

“What happened, Caleb?”Riot asked.“At the hotel.”

“They had a key or something,” Caleb said.“I was between Mom and the door when I heard the lock whir and click, then they shoved it open and came after us.”

“He knew where you guys were.”Riot gave me a hard look.“Who else knew where you were staying, Violet?”

I shook my head, trying to think.“No one.I had no one to tell, and Caleb didn’t know where we were going.Lana set us up at the hotel.”

“You guys still have your phones?Any other electronic devices?”This came from one of the men approaching us.

“No.”I shook my head.“We made sure to leave all that behind.I don’t have a bank account, so all we had was what cash I’d managed to hide away from Doug.”

“What about your clothes, or your handbag?Did you bring anything with you?”

I shook my head.“We left with the clothes on our backs and replaced those as soon as we could.”I looked at Caleb.“Did you bring anything you haven’t gotten rid of?”

He shook his head.“No.We even got new shoes and underwear.”

The man nodded.“Good.You covered the basics and then some.I’ll pull the hotel’s security footage.See if I can find out how the guy got a key.”

“Thanks, Knight.”Riot stuck his hand out and Knight took it.

“Any time, brother.We’re all here to help each other.”Knight gave me a respectful nod.“Ma’am.”He turned to Caleb.“I got a bitchin’ gamin’ system in my command center.You’re welcome to stop by whenever you want.I’m usually there.If I’m not, ask one of the guys to let you in.”

Caleb’s eyes widened in excitement, then he ducked his head and glanced at me.“I’ll think about it.”

Knight nodded before turning to go back inside.As he did, I saw another man walk up to Riot and speak softly.

Then the man turned to me.“Hi, Violet.I’m Knuckles.My wife, Hannah, is getting an apartment ready for you and Caleb.She, Pippa, and Carrie are all getting some stuff together for you guys.”

“Pippa and Carrie are Gunnar and Hawk’s women,” Riot explained.“I’ve only met them a couple times, but the guys all say they’re really good old ladies.”God, this man.He was such a contradiction.He sounded almost subservient when he spoke to me sometimes.Or maybe shy.Other times, like when he saved me from Doug’s men at the hotel, he was a dominant force you didn’t dare disobey.Yet, even then, he’d been gentle with both me and Caleb.

Looking up at Riot, I studied his face.“If you trust them, I’m good.”

That must have been the exact right thing to say because Riot let his breath out slowly as he nodded his head.He blinked several times then cleared his throat.“I do.I trust them because Knuckles trusts them.I trust Knuckles without question.”

“OK, then.”I smiled up at Knuckles.“Thanks for helping us.”

“Just, if the parole board asks you about anything, tell them Riot went the extra mile to protect you.”

I started.It hit me how serious this was for Riot.“Oh, my God!When the cops find those guys, are they going to come after you?”The thought nearly made me sick to my stomach.I didn’t know what his past was, but there was no way he deserved to go back to prison for killing those bastards.

Knuckles raised his hands.“Calm down, honey.No one’s going back to prison, and certainly not for killing those pissants.”

“How can you know that?”

“This is one of those things I want you to trust me on.”Riot squeezed my hand so he had my attention.“I won’t let you down.”

Had he phrased it any other way, I might have insisted they tell me everything.The fact was, I didn’t really want to know.I knew in my heart I couldn’t handle the raw facts.

I nodded.“You’re right.I’m just concerned about it is all.I don’t know you, but you’ve shown me more kindness in a few short hours than Doug showed me in thirteen years of marriage.I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Riot’s jaw clenched, but his eyes softened as he looked down at me.There was a long moment as we stared at each other.His brow furrowed and I could see him struggling with something.Then he shook his head and gave me a small smile.“Let’s get you inside.You guys need rest.”

Riot took us inside the nearest building.The door opened into one large room.It looked like a common room or just the place everyone hung out.Kind of reminded me of a sports bar from my college days.He took us to the back, and we stepped into the elevator.He closed the gate and the lift started moving up.

When he stepped out into the hallway, he held out his hand to me once again.I took it without hesitation.Caleb cleared his throat.When I glanced back at him, he raised an eyebrow, looking from mine and Riot’s joined hands back to me.

Immediately, a wash of shame crashed over me.I was still married, for Christ’s sake!What was I doing holding this man’s hand?

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